In the following passage, extracted from
the Memoirs of Sir Robert Carey, then deputy of his father, Lord Hunsdon,
Warden of the East Marches, afterwards Earl of Monmouth, the reader will
find a lively illustration of the sketch of Border manners.

"Having thus ended with my brother,
I then beganne to thinke of the charge I had taken upon mee, which was
the government of the East March in my fatherís absence. I wrote to
Sir Robert Kerr (Sir Robert Kerr of Cessford, Warden of the Middle
Marches, and ancestor of the house of Roxburghe.) who was my
opposite warden, a brave active young man, and desired him that hee
would appoint a day when hee and myselfe might privately meet in some
part of the Border, to take some good order for the quieting the
Borders, till my retourne from London, which journey I was shortly of
necessity to take. Hee stayed my man all night, and wrote to mee back
that hee was glad to have the happiness to be acquainted with mee, and
did not doubt but the country would be better governed by our good
agreements. I wrote to him on the Monday, and the Thursday after hee
appointed the place and hour of meeting.

"After hee had filled my man with
drinke, and put him to bed, hee, and some half a score with him, got to
horse, and came into England to a little village. There hee broke up a
house, and tooke out a poor fellow, who (hee pretended) had done him
some wrong, and before the doore cruelly murthered him, and so came
quietly home, and went to bed. The next morning hee delivered my man a
letter in answer to mine, and retourned him to mee. It pleased me well
at the reading of his kinde letter; but when I heard what a brave hee
had put upon me, I quickly resolved what to do, which was, never to have
do with him till I was righted for the grete wrong hee had done mee.
Upon this resolution, the day I should have mett with him, I tooke post,
and with all the haste I could, rode to London, leaving him to attend my
coming to him as was appointed. There hee stayed from one till five, but
heard no news of mee. Finding by this that I had neglected him, hee
retourned home to his house, and so things rested (with grete dislike
the one of the other) till I came back, which was with all the speede I
could, my business being ended. The first thing I did after my retourne,
was to ask justice for the wrong hee had done mee; but I could get none.
The Borderers, seeing our disagreement, they thought the time wished for
of them was come. The winter being begunne, their was roades made out of
Scotland into the East March, and goodes were taken three or four times
a weeke. I had no other meanes left to quiet them, but still sent out of
the garrison horsemen of Barwicke, to watch in the fittest places for
them, and it was their good hap many times to light upon them, with the
stolen goods driving before them. They were no sooner brought before mee,
but a jury went upon them, and being found guilty, they were presently
hanged; a course which hath been seldom used, but I had no way to keep
the country quiet but so to do; for when the Scotch theeves found what a
sharp course I took with them that were found with the bloody hand, I
had in a short time the country more quiet. All this while we were but
in jest, as it were, but now beganne the great quarrel between us.

"There was a favourite of his, a
greate thiefe, called Geordie Bourne. This gallant, with some of his
associates, would, in a bravery, come and take goods in the East March.
I had that night some of the garrison abroad. They met with this Geordie
and his fellows, driving cattle before them. The garrison set upon them,
and with a shott killed Geordie Bourneís unckle, and hee himselfe,
bravely resisting until he was sore hurt in the head, was taken. After
he was taken, his pride was such, as hee asked, who it was that durst
avow that nightes work? but when he heard it was the garrison, hee was
then more quiet. But so powerful and so awfull was this Sir Robert Kerr,
and his favourites, as there was not a gentleman in all the East March
that durst offend them. Presently after he was taken, I had most of the
Gentlemen of the March come to mee, and told mee, that nowe I had the
ball at my foote, and might bring Sir Robert Kerr to what conditions I
pleased; for that this manís life was so neere and deere to him, that
I should have all that my heart could desire, for the good and quiet of
the country and myselfe, if upon any condition I would give him his
life. I heard them and their reasons, notwithstanding, I called a jury
the next morning, and hee was found guilty of MARCH TREASON. Then they
feared that I would cause him to be executed that afternoone, which made
them come flocking to mee, humbly entreating mee, that I would spare his
life until the next day, and if Sir Robert Kerr came not himselfe to mee,
and made mee not such proffers, as I could not but accept, that then I
should do with him what I pleased. And further, they told me plainly,
that if I should execute him before I heard from Sir Robert Kerr, they
must be forced to quit their houses, and fly the country; for his fury
would be such, against me and the March I commanded, as hee would use
all of his power and strength to the utter destruction of the East
March. They were so earnest with mee, that I gave them my word hee
should not dye that day. There was post upon post sent to Sir Robert
Kerr, and some of them rode to him themselves, to advertise him in what
danger Geordie Bourne was; how hee was condemned, and should have been
executed that afternoone, but, by their humble suit, I gave them my
word, that hee should not dye that day; and therefore besought him that
hee would send to mee, with all the speede he could, to let mee know
that hee would be the next day with mee to offer mee good conditions for
the safety of his life.

"When all things were quiet, and the
watch set at night, after supper, about ten of the clock, I tooke one of
my menís liveryes, and put it about mee, and tooke two other of my
servants with me in their liveryes,and we three, as the wardenís men,
came to the provost marshallís, where Bourne was, and were lett into
his chamber. Wee sate down by him, and told him that wee were desirous
to see him, because wee heard he was stout and valiant, and true to his
friend; and that wee were sorry our master could not be moved to save
his life. He voluntarily of himselfe said that hee had lived long enough
to do so many villainies as he had done; and withal told us, that he had
layne with about forty menís wives, what in England, and what in
Scotland; and that he had killed seven Englishmen with his own hands,
cruelly murthering them; and that hee had spent his whole life in
whoring, drinking, stealing, and taking deep revenge for slight
offences. He seemed to be very penitent, and much desired a minister for
the comforte of his soule. Wee promised him to lett our master know his
desire, who, wee knew, would presently grant it. Wee took our leaves of
him, and presently I tooke order, that Mr. Selby, a very worthy honest
preacher, should go to him, and not stirre from him until his execution
the next morning; for, after I had heard his own confession, I was
resolved no conditions should save his life: and so tooke order, that at
the gates opening the next morning, hee should be carried to execution,
which accordingly was performed. The next morning I had one from Sir
Robert Kerr for a parley, who was within two miles staying for me. I
sent him word, ĎI would meet him where hee pleased, but I would first
know upon what terms and conditions." Before his man was returned,
hee had heard, that in the morning, very early, Geordie Bourne had been
executed. Many vows he made of cruell revenge, and returned home full of
grief and distaine, and from that time forward still plotted revenge.
Hee knew the gentlemen of the country were altogether sacklesse, and to
make open road upon the March would but show his malice, and lay him
open to the punishment due to such offences. But his practice was how to
be revenged on me or some of mine.

"It was not long after, that my
brother and I had intelligence that there was a great match made at
footeball, and the chief ryders were to be there. The place they were to
meet at was Kelsy, and that day we heard it was the day for the meeting.
Wee presently called a counsaile, and after much dispute, it was
concluded, that the likeliest place he was to come to, was to kill the
scoutes. And it was the more suspected, for that my brother, before my
coming to the office, for the cattaile stolne out of the bounds, and, as
it were, from under the walles of Barwicke, being refused justice, (upon
his complaint), or at least delaid, sent off the garrison into
Liddesdale, and killed there the chief offender, which had done the
wrong.

"Upon this conclusion, there was
order taken, that both horse and foote should lye in ambush in diverse
parts of the boundes, to defend the scoutes, and to give a sound blow to
Sir Robert and his company. Before the horse and foote were sett out
with directions what to do, it was almost dark night, and the gates
ready to be lockt. Wee parted, and as I was by myselfe, coming to my
home, God put it into my mind, that it might well be, hee ment
destruction to my men that I had sent out to gather tithes for mee at
Norham, and their rendezvous was every night to lye and sup at an
ale-house in Norham. I presently caused my page to take horse, and to
ride as fast as his horse could carry him, and to command my servants
(which were in all eight) that presently upon his coming to them, they
should all change their lodging, and go straight to the castle, there to
lye that night in strawe and hay. Some of them were unwilling thereto,
but durst not disobey; so altogether left their ale-house and retired to
the castle. They had not well settled themselves to sleep, but they
heard in the towne a great alarm; for Sir Robert and his company came
straight to the ale-house, broke open the doors, and made inquiry for my
servants. They were answered, that by my command they were all in the
castle. After they had searched all the house, and found none, they
feared they were betrayed, and, with all the speede they could, made
haste homewards again. Thus God blessed me from this bloody tragedy.

"There had been commissioners in
Barwicke, chosen by the Queen and King of Scottes, for the better
quieting of our Borders. By their industry they found a great number of
malefactors guilty, both in England and Scotland; and they tooke oder,
that the officers of Scotland should deliver such offenders, as were
found guilty in their jurisdictions, to the opposite officers in
England, to be detained prisoners, till they had made satisfaction of
the goodes they had taken out of England. The like order was taken with
the Wardens of England, and days prefixed for the delivery of them all.
And in case any of the officers, on either side, should omit their
duties, in not delivering the prisoners at the dayes and places
appointed, that then there should a course be taken by the soveraignes,
that what chiefe officer soever should offend herein, hee himself should
be delivered and detained, till hee had made good what the commissioners
had agreed upon.

"The English officers did
punctually, at the day and place, deliver their prisoners, and so did
most of the officers of Scotland; only the Lord of Bocleuch and Sir
Robert Kerr were faultie. They were complained of, and new dayes for the
delivery of their prisoners. Bocleuch ws the first that should deliver;
and hee failing, entered himself prisoner into Barwicke, there to
remaine till those officers under his charge were delivered to free him.
Hee chose for his guardian Sir William Selby, master of the ordnance at
Barwicke. When Sir Robert Kerrís day of delivery came, hee failed too,
and my Lord Hume, by the kingís command, was to deliver him prisoner
into Barwicke upon the like terms, which was performed. Sir Robert Kerr
(contrary to all menís expectations) chose mee for his guardian, and
home I brought him to my own house, after he was delivered to mee. I
lodged him as well as I could and tooke order for his diet, and men to
attend on him, and sent him word that (although by his harsh carriage
towards mee, ever since I had that charge, he could not expect any
favour, yet) hearing so much goodness of him, that hee never broke his
worde, if hee would give me his hand and credit to be a true prisoner,
hee would have no guard sett upon him, but have gree libery for his
friends in Scotland to have ingress and regress to him as often as he
pleased. Hee took this very kindly at my handes, accepted my offer, and
sent mee thankes.

"Some four days passed; all which
time his friends came into him, and hee kept his chamber. Then hee sent
to mee, and desired mee, I would come and speake with him, which I did;
and after a long discourse, charging and re-charging one another with
wrong and injuries, at last, before our parting, wee became good
friends, with greate protestations, on his side never to give mee
occasion of unkindness again. After our reconciliation, hee kept his
chamber no longer, but dined and supt with mee. I tooke him abroad with
mee at the least thrice a weeke, a hunting, and every day wee grew
better friends. Bocleuch, in a few days after had his pledges delivered,
and was set at liberty. But Sir Robert Kerr could not get his, so that I
was commanded to carry him to Yorke, and there to deliver him prisoner
to the archbishop, which accordingly I did. At our parting, hee
professed greate love unto mee for the kind usage I had shown him, and
that I would find the effects of it upon his delivery, which hee hoped
would be shortly.

"Thus wee parted; and, not long
after his pledges were gott, and brought to Yorke, and hee sett at
liberty. After his retourne home, I found him as good as his word. Wee
met oft at dayes of truce, and I had as good justice as I could desire;
and so wee continued very kinde and good friends, all the tyme that I
stayed in that March which was not long."

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